Ammunition
__NOEDITSECTION__ Ammunition comes in three forms, as follows. *''Arrows and bolts'' are used in bows and crossbows, respectively. They share identical traits but aren’t interchangeable between weapons. *''Bullets'' are used in pistols, revolvers, rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns. They are interchangeable between weapons of the same caliber only. *''Shells'' are used in shotguns. They are interchangeable between weapons of the same gauge only. All ammunition of the same name shares the same rules (e.g. non-lethal bullets and shells operate the same in terms of game mechanics). Ammunition Basics Ammunition Codes and Stockpiles As seen on many weapon tables, ammunition codes consists of 2 numbers separated by a letter — ”M” for self-contained removable magazine, “S” for an internal supply of shots, “B” for a belt, and “D” for a removable drum. The number before the letter is the number of shots the weapon can hold and the number after the letter is the number of reloads automatically supplied with the weapon (e.g. 15M4 indicates that the gun comes with 4 fully loaded 15-shot magazines). When a weapon’s ammo code lists two or more options, the character may gain only 1 of them with each weapon pick. Example: Kevin requests a Colt M16A1, which has two ammo codes — 20M8 and 30M5. Kevin chooses the weapon model that has a 30-round magazine and comes with 5 magazines. The full complement of ammo supplied when it’s chosen is also called the weapon’s ammunition stockpile. Several rules and upgrades change a weapon’s full ammo stockpile or offer additional stockpiles to the character. Example: Following the previous example, Kevin uses 1 of his upgrades to gain 1 additional stockpile of ammo (another five 30-round magazines) and the remaining 2 upgrades to convert both of his ammo stockpiles for the weapon to armor-piercing ammo. Starting Ammunition Ammunition is always gained in stockpiles. Unless otherwise specified, when a character requests a weapon, it comes with 1 full stockpile of any 1 “first stockpile” ammunition as noted on Table 4.62: Ammunition (see page 274), or on the table for the specific weapon gained. Example 1: A pistol comes with 1 stockpile of blank, full metal jacket (FMJ), or non-lethal bullets (of the character’s choice). Example 2: A Carl Gustav rocket launcher comes with 1 stockpile of high explosive (HE), high explosive anti-tank (HEAT), illumination, or smoke rockets. During the Intel Phase, character may gain additional ammunition stockpiles by paying the listed upgrade or Common Item cost for each stockpile desired. Example 1: Following the first example above, 1 additional stockpile of full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets costs 1 upgrade or 3 Common Items. A character might also gain 2 stockpiles of armor-piercing bullets at a total additional cost of 4 upgrades or 12 Common Items. Example 2: Following the second example above, 1 additional stockpile of high explosive (HE) rockets costs 1 upgrade (as ammunition for this weapon can’t be gained with Common Items). A character might also gain 3 additional stockpiles of illumination rockets at a total additional cost of 3 upgrades. Further, a character may convert the ammunition stockpile that comes with a weapon into any other ammunition by paying the desired ammunition type’s upgrade cost minus 1, or Common Item cost minus 3. Example: Following the Example 1 chain above, a character might convert his pistol’s first ammo stockpile to armor-piercing bullets at a cost of 1 upgrade or 3 Common Items. Alternately, he could convert it to armor-piercing incendiary bullets at a cost of 3 upgrades or 9 Common Items. Finally, as with all gear, street values are provided for those characters who need to find ammunition in the field. Ammunition Tables Ammunition Descriptions Ammunition has the following effects. 'Armor-Piercing (AP)' This ammunition grants the (3) quality to each attack made with it. If the attack already possesses the quality, this ammunition increases it by 2 (e.g. an attack with the (4) quality becomes an attack with the (6) quality). 'Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS)' This ammunition consists of a small, dense dart (the penetrator) surrounded by a lightweight jacket (the sabot). When the weapon is fired, the sabot falls away within a few dozen yards of the muzzle, leaving the penetrator to travel on at extremely high velocity. APDS ammunition grants the quality, as listed in parentheses following its listing. 'Armor-Piercing Incendiary (API)' This ammunition combines an armor-piercing tip with a delayed-action fuse and a small amount of incendiary explosive. When an attack with an API bullet scores a critical hit, the attacker may spend 1 additional action die to convert the attack’s damage type from lethal damage to fire damage. 'Beehive' This ammunition fires dozens or hundreds of small projectiles and is brutally effective against personnel. Beehive ammunition operates like a directional mine, expanding in a cone from the weapon’s location. 'Blank' This ammunition involves no projectile — it’s nothing but noise and muzzle flash. It can still be dangerous at close range, however. A blank inflicts full damage against a target in the same square, 1/2 damage against an adjacent target (rounded down), 1/4 damage against a target within 10 ft. (rounded down), and no damage at greater ranges. Further, an attack with blank ammunition always loses the quality. 'Chemical' This ammunition releases 1 sample of a loaded contagion upon impact. This contagion spreads like gas. The contagion must be acquired separately. Chemical ammunition is generally a nation-state and terrorist plaything, and street value is often subject to the seller’s whim. 'Cluster' This ammunition releases hundreds of small grenade-sized bomblets at a predetermined height above the target, spreading devastation over a wide area. Each square within the listed “blast radius” from the impact point is attacked by 1 fragmentation grenade with an attack bonus equal to that of the heavy weapon attack. Further, even if a character makes a successful Reflex save to reduce the damage in his square, the GC rolls 1d20. With a result of 8 or less, the character winds up leaping into another square hit by a grenade, in which case he may not make a second Reflex save. 'Flash-Bang' This ammunition operates like a flash-bang hand grenade (see page 252). 'Flechette' This ammunition contains several dozen small metal darts, which spread out when the weapon is fired. When a character makes an attack with flechette ammunition, any dodge bonuses and defense bonuses his target gains from Size are each decreased to 1/2 standard (rounded down). 'Full Metal Jacket (FMJ)' This ammunition — also known as “ball” — is the default for target practice and military use, and has no special rules. 'Frangible' This ammunition is designed not to pierce solid surfaces, such as schoolhouse walls or aircraft bulkheads. When a character makes an attack with a frangible bullet, the weapon’s maximum range is shortened by 2 increments and the damage reduction of anything hit is doubled. Further, an attack with frangible ammunition always loses the quality. 'Gas' This ammunition is used during riots and barricaded suspect situations. When it impacts, the target square is filled with 1 sample of basic blister contagion, except that all phases inflict the condition. 'High Explosive (HE)' This simple ammunition consists of an explosive charge in a metal shell. Casing fragments are flung in every direction upon impact, augmenting the attack’s damage. Alternately, it may be a fragmentation warhead that inflicts damage by flinging shrapnel, rather than by direct explosive force. 'High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT)' This ammunition is an explosive shaped charge that directs most of its force in one direction. It possesses superior armor penetration, but its secondary blast is far less effective than a HE round of the same size. This ammunition includes similar types such as High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) and High Explosive Squash Head (HESH). 'Illumination' Illumination ammunition inflicts no damage; instead, its “damage result” is the number of rounds it burns in the air and its “blast increment” is the radius it lights up. Within this area, it is considered day for the purpose of determining visual range. Should an attack be made with this ammunition, the weapon’s range increment decreases to 1/2 standard (rounded down), and with a hit, the target suffers fire damage equal to twice the ammunition’s burn duration. This damage possesses the (30) quality. 'Jacketed Hollow-Point (JHP)' This ammunition is similar to full metal jacket, except that it contains a conical cavity in the nose that “mushrooms” in a target, transferring greater kinetic energy. A successful attack with a JHP bullet inflicts +1d4 damage, but doubles the target’s damage reduction. Further, an attack with JHP ammunition always loses the quality. 'Low-Explosive' This ammunition’s damage is explosive, with a blast increment defined by its quality. It is not powerful enough to cause a target to fail more than 1 Damage save, however, even if the target fails by 10 or more. 'Match Grade' This ammunition is used for competition targeting and precision sniping. It is factory tested to provide exact ballistic data that a shooter may use to compute each shot’s destination. When a character knows the range to his target to a precision of +/–30 ft., he may take 1 full action to calculate the shot. Thereafter, if he makes an aimed and braced Standard Attack against the target before the range changes by more than 30 ft., he gains a bonus with his attack check equal to his Wisdom modifier (if positive). 'Non-Lethal' This ammunition consists of rubber-coated steel balls, a single large “beanbag,” or powdered metal compacted into a bullet. When this ammunition impacts a target, it applies all the concussive force of the attack with little penetration trauma. This ammunition is especially useful on airplanes and is employed extensively by Air Marshals. Non-lethal ammunition inflicts only subdual damage. Further, if an attack with non-lethal ammunition suffers an error, an opponent may spend 2 action dice to cause the attack to inflict lethal damage instead. Finally, if the attack generates more than 10 points of damage, it gains the quality. 'Rock Salt' This ammunition is the traditional rural remedy for trespassers, replacing a shot shell’s pellets with salt, creating minor but painful wounds. Within 10 ft., rock salt inflicts lethal damage, as well as 1d10 stress damage per successful hit. At any greater range, it inflicts subdual damage and 1d6 stress damage per successful hit. 'Sabot, Bullets' This ammunition consists of a small, dense dart (the penetrator) surrounded by a lightweight jacket (the sabot). When the bullet is fired, the sabot falls away within a few dozen yards of the muzzle, leaving the penetrator to travel on at extremely high velocity. Sabot ammunition grants the (10) quality to each attack made with it. If the attack already possesses the quality, this ammunition increases it by 5 (e.g. an attack with the (4) quality becomes an attack with the (9) quality). 'Sabot, Shells' Unlike saboted bullets, which are designed for superior armor penetration, this ammunition increases a shotgun’s range. This ammunition increases a shotgun’s range increment by 50% (rounded up to the nearest 5 ft.). 'Shot' This ammunition consists of multiple lead balls fired simultaneously from a single shell. When a character makes an attack with shot ammunition, he gains a +1 bonus with his attack check and Sharpshooting Basics as a temporary feat for that attack only. However, the attack’s damage decreases by 1d4 per range increment after the second (e.g. 12-gauge shot inflicts 5d4 damage in the first and second range increments, 4d4 in the third, 3d4 in the fourth, and 2d4 in the fifth). Finally, if multiple characters occupy the same square and one of them is successfully attacked with shot ammunition, all others in the square suffer damage equal to 1/2 that inflicted on the primary target (rounded down). 'Slug' This ammunition consists of a single massive cylinder of lead with no finesse or subtlety. 'Smoke' This ammunition is used for concealment and signaling, releasing smoke with a blast increment listed in its qualities listing. 'Standard' This ammunition is standard for its type, applying no special rules to attacks made with it. 'Tracer' This ammunition grants a +2 gear bonus with attack checks made as part of an Autofire action. However, all Notice or Search checks made to locate the shooter are automatically successful. 'White Phosphorus (WP)' This ammunition burns at approximately 2,000° C and cannot be extinguished in the presence of oxygen. In addition to its damage, WP ammunition also operates like smoke ammunition of the same size. Category: Gear Rules Category:Weapons